Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Karlskrona and Malmo

For one person, living is cheaper in Karlskrona: $1,636 a month against $2,092 in Malmo, rent and utilities included – about $5,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Karlskrona, Sweden
Malmo, Sweden
Karlskrona
🇸🇪 Sweden
$1,636
/mo nomad
Malmo
🇸🇪 Sweden
$2,092
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Karlskrona and in Malmo

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Karlskrona and in Malmo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,636 per month in Karlskrona vs $2,092 in Malmo, rent included.

  • Karlskrona $1,636
  • Malmo $2,092

A couple spends around $2,545 per month in Karlskrona vs $3,149 in Malmo, rent included.

  • Karlskrona $2,545
  • Malmo $3,149

A family of three spends $3,453 per month in Karlskrona vs $4,206 in Malmo, rent included.

  • Karlskrona $3,453
  • Malmo $4,206

Karlskrona is about 22% cheaper than Malmo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Karlskrona and Malmo sit above the global median – Karlskrona by 20%, Malmo by 54%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Karlskrona
Malmo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.82 SEK 126
$15.17 SEK 149
-15.49%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$66.2 SEK 649
$76.1 SEK 746
-13.00%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.81 SEK 86.5
$12.18 SEK 120
-27.67%
Cappuccino
$4.09 SEK 40.16
$4.94 SEK 48.44
-17.21%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.33 SEK 13.07
$3.50 SEK 34.36
-62.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25 SEK 22.07
$2.70 SEK 26.51
-16.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.93 SEK 68.0
$8.69 SEK 85.3
-20.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.00 SEK 49.11
$9.11 SEK 89.4
-45.12%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Karlskrona
Malmo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.46 SEK 14.30
$1.67 SEK 16.36
-12.57%
White Bread (500g)
$2.67 SEK 26.21
$2.84 SEK 27.91
-5.99%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.66 SEK 35.96
$3.44 SEK 33.76
6.40%
Eggs
$4.41 SEK 43.23
$4.12 SEK 40.42
7.04%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.01 SEK 108
$13.17 SEK 129
-16.40%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.05 SEK 128
$11.85 SEK 116
10.13%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.37 SEK 171
$21.25 SEK 209
-18.26%
Apples (1kg)
$3.07 SEK 30.10
$2.97 SEK 29.11
3.37%
Banana (1kg)
$2.32 SEK 22.73
$2.63 SEK 25.76
-11.79%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.03 SEK 29.78
$2.94 SEK 28.85
3.06%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.40 SEK 43.20
$4.26 SEK 41.77
3.29%
Potato (1kg)
$1.49 SEK 14.67
$1.63 SEK 15.97
-8.59%
Onion (1kg)
$1.49 SEK 14.67
$1.55 SEK 15.26
-3.87%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.18 SEK 21.37
$2.51 SEK 24.65
-13.15%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.42 SEK 13.98
$1.18 SEK 11.55
20.34%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.99 SEK 68.6
$8.17 SEK 80.2
-14.44%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.80 SEK 126
$11.38 SEK 112
12.48%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.04 SEK 20.01
$2.05 SEK 20.11
-0.49%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.63 SEK 16.00
$2.37 SEK 23.29
-31.22%
🚌 Getting Around
Karlskrona
Malmo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.94 SEK 28.84
$3.22 SEK 31.65
-8.70%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$70.8 SEK 694
$63.9 SEK 627
10.70%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$13.17 SEK 129
$6.05 SEK 59.4
117.69%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.06 SEK 20.26
$2.48 SEK 24.37
-16.94%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$80.5 SEK 789
$49.44 SEK 485
62.72%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.77 SEK 17.36
$1.79 SEK 17.55
-1.12%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.7K SEK 321.0K
$32.6K SEK 320.3K
0.23%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.2K SEK 326.1K
$33.3K SEK 326.5K
-0.10%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Karlskrona
Malmo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$51.1 SEK 501
$144 SEK 1,412
-64.47%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.03 SEK 275
$25.21 SEK 247
11.19%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$36.39 SEK 357
$40.19 SEK 394
-9.46%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Karlskrona
Malmo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.03 SEK 403
$39.31 SEK 386
4.38%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$29.48 SEK 289
-
Cinema Ticket
$16.13 SEK 158
$17.12 SEK 168
-5.78%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Karlskrona
Malmo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$160 SEK 1,573
$168 SEK 1,651
-4.76%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$3,352 SEK 32.9K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Karlskrona
Malmo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$97.6 SEK 958
$102 SEK 1,001
-4.35%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$20.06 SEK 197
$45.62 SEK 448
-56.03%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.6 SEK 781
$111 SEK 1,086
-28.07%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$179 SEK 1,757
$156 SEK 1,533
14.64%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Karlskrona
Malmo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$681 SEK 6,679
$1,100 SEK 10.8K
-38.09%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$576 SEK 5,649
$852 SEK 8,363
-32.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,097 SEK 10.8K
$1,765 SEK 17.3K
-37.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$937 SEK 9,196
$1,343 SEK 13.2K
-30.22%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,929 SEK 28.7K
$4,098 SEK 40.2K
-28.51%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,526 SEK 24.8K
$3,158 SEK 31.0K
-20.01%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Karlskrona
Malmo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,463 SEK 24.2K
$2,979 SEK 29.2K
-17.32%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.22
3.05
38.36%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Karlskrona: October 26, 2026

Last update for Malmo: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Karlskrona
$576
Malmo
$852 48.1% $277
Groceries & Markets
Karlskrona
$360
Malmo
$371 3.3% $12
Eating Out
Karlskrona
$237
Malmo
$304 28.1% $67
Clothing & Footwear
Karlskrona
$169
Malmo
$187 10.2% $17
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Karlskrona
$116
Malmo
$209 81.1% $94
Getting Around
Karlskrona
$106
Malmo
$95 10.1% $11
Sport & Entertainment
Karlskrona
$73
Malmo
$74 0.4% $0.3

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $681 in Karlskrona versus $1,100 in Malmo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 21% higher in Malmo, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $66 in Karlskrona versus $76 in Malmo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $360 vs $371 – making Karlskrona the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇸🇪 Karlskrona
🇸🇪 Malmo
🕒 Local time
01:01 1:01 AM
01:01 1:01 AM
Same time as Karlskrona
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
35,212
316,588
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to SEK – Swedish Krona Converter

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 9.81 SEK (1 SEK = 0.102 USD). 1 EUR = 10.96 SEK (100 SEK = 9.13 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Karlskrona Malmo 170 km
From you
  • Karlskrona
  • Malmo

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Karlskrona vs Malmo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Karlskrona cheaper than Malmo?
Yes – Malmo is pricier by about 28%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,455 per month in Karlskrona and $3,138 in Malmo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Karlskrona, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $681 there versus $1,100 in Malmo.
Is eating out cheaper in Karlskrona or in Malmo?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $66 in Karlskrona and $76 in Malmo. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Karlskrona and in Malmo?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,636 in Karlskrona and $2,092 in Malmo. That makes Karlskrona about 22% cheaper.
Is $2,500 enough for either Karlskrona or Malmo?
$2,500 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,636 in Karlskrona and $2,092 in Malmo, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is Karlskrona or Malmo more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Karlskrona – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Karlskrona. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Malmo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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